PART 12:

“I do.” Ariana said smoothly. “She’s older than me.” “Is she nice?” “Sometimes. We don’t see each other much anymore.” “Why not?” “Grown-up stuff. We had some disagreements.” “About what?” “Sophie.” Daniel intervened gently. “That’s a lot of questions.” “But I want to know.” “I know, Bug, but maybe we should” “It’s okay.” Ariana said.

She looked at Sophie seriously. “We disagreed about what’s important.” “She thinks some things matter that I don’t think matter, and I think some things matter that she doesn’t. So, we don’t spend much time together. Sophie considered this. Do you miss her? Sometimes. But missing someone doesn’t mean you have to be around them if they’re not good for you.

Ms. Martinez says that, too, about toxic people. Your Ms. Martinez is very smart. She really is. Sophie played a card. Do you have any threes? The rain picked up, drumming harder on the pavilion roof. They played three rounds of go fish, then switched to war. Sophie won twice, crowing with delight both times. Ariana was a good loser, dramatic in her defeat in a way that made Sophie giggle.

Daniel felt himself relaxing, the knot in his chest loosening. This was okay. This was more than okay. I’m hungry, Sophie announced eventually. There’s a diner near here, Ariana said. Makes terrible coffee, but great pancakes, if you’re interested. Sophie looked at Daniel. He looked at Ariana. Something passed between them, an acknowledgement that they were crossing another line, moving from planned meeting to spontaneous time together.

Pancakes sound good, he said. The diner was exactly as advertised. Worn vinyl booths, laminate tables, a waitress who called everyone honey and didn’t bother writing down orders. Sophie ordered chocolate chip pancakes. Daniel got the breakfast special. Ariana ordered just coffee, which Sophie immediately objected to.

You have to eat something. Dad says breakfast is the most important meal. Does he? He says it every morning, even when he’s just having coffee. Your dad’s a hypocrite, then. What’s a hypocrite? Daniel pointed his fork at Ariana. Thanks for that. Someone who says one thing and does another, Ariana explained.

Like if I told you to eat vegetables, but I never ate vegetables myself. Oh, yeah, dad’s totally a hypocrite, then. He tells me to eat carrots, but he picks them out of his own food. Betrayed by my own daughter. It’s the truth. Sophie turned to Ariana. Do you like carrots? They’re fine. Not my favorite. What’s your favorite food? Probably Thai food.

Good pad thai can fix most bad days. What’s pad thai? Rice noodles with peanuts and vegetables and sometimes chicken. It’s sweet and salty at the same time. Sophie wrinkled her nose. That sounds weird. It’s delicious. Maybe your dad can take you sometime. The casual suggestion of a future together landed heavily. Daniel caught Ariana’s eye.

She looked slightly panicked, like she’d said too much too fast. Maybe, he said carefully, if Sophie wants to try new things. I want to try things, Sophie said. Just not carrots or mushrooms or anything that looks slimy. That’s fair criteria, Ariana said. The food arrived. Sophie dove into her pancakes with enthusiasm. Daniel picked at his eggs, hyper-aware of Ariana sitting across from him, of Sophie chattering between bites, of how this looked to anyone watching.

A family. That’s what they looked like. The thought should have terrified him. Instead, it felt almost comfortable. Can I ask you something? Sophie said suddenly, looking at Ariana. Sure. Are you dating my dad? Daniel choked on his coffee. Ariana’s eyes widened, but she recovered faster. We’re getting to know each other, she said carefully, seeing if we want to date.

But you like him. I do like him. Like like like him? Ariana glanced at Daniel, amused. Like like like him. Sophie nodded, satisfied. Good. Because he likes you, too. He smiles at his phone when you text. Sophie, Daniel said weakly. It’s true. You, too. Can we talk about literally anything else? Why? Are you embarrassed? Sophie grinned wickedly. Dad’s embarrassed.

His ears get red when he’s embarrassed. They do, Ariana confirmed, smiling. It’s kind of cute. Now you’re both against me. Yep, Sophie said cheerfully. They finished breakfast with Sophie continuing to divulge every embarrassing detail she could think of. Daniel wanted to be mortified, but found himself laughing instead.

Ariana was laughing, too, genuine and unguarded in a way he hadn’t seen before. When they left the diner, the rain had stopped. Weak sunlight filtered through breaking clouds. Can we go to the playground now? Sophie asked. It’s not raining anymore. Everything’s going to be wet, Daniel warned. So, we can dry off.

He looked at Ariana. You don’t have to. I want to, unless you’re trying to get rid of me. Definitely not. They walked to the playground. Sophie ran ahead, testing equipment for wetness levels. Daniel fell into step beside Ariana. She’s great, Ariana said quietly. Really great. She likes you. How can you tell? Because she’s being herself.

When she doesn’t like people, she gets really formal and polite. With you, she’s just Sophie. That’s a relief. I was terrified she’d hate me. Why would she hate you? Because I’m a complication. Because her life is already complicated enough without some stranger showing up and making things harder. You’re not making things harder.

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